A. Field of the Invention
The Invention is an organizer for use with an over-bed table. The Invention is particularly useful for a person who is confined to bed. The organizer of the Invention allows a person who is confined to bed to readily access items that the person may need.
B. Statement of the Related Art
Persons who are confined to bed have limited mobility. Such persons can access materials, supplies, personal care items, meals, reading material, writing utensils, a tablet or laptop computer, diversions, and anything else the person may need only if those things are within easy reach of the person. In the usual hospital or extended care facility, such a person may have access to an over-bed table, which is a table that extends over the top of the bed so that the table top is directly in front of the person confined to the bed. U.S. Patent Publication 2011/0197796 by Bhave, published Aug. 18, 2011, teaches an example of an over-bed table. The person confined to bed has access only to the portion of the tabletop that is within the person's reach, which provides a limited area on which to place, store and use the materials that the person needs while confined to the bed.
Organizers are known in the art, including organizers for use with hospital beds. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,152 to Ritchie issued Jul. 29, 1997 teaches an organizer having pockets that attaches to the rail of a hospital bed. As a second example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,967,137 to Fulbrook, issued Jun. 28, 2011, that teaches an organizer tray for expendable medical supplies.
The prior art does not teach the organizer of the Invention.